BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
No carnapping, holdups in Baguio?

BAGUIO CITY – Believe it or not, but according to Senior Supt. Wilfredo Franco, city police director, their records bared there were no taxi holdup incidents in the city over the past three weeks.

He said taxi holdup and robbery cases in this summer capital which plagued local police the first eight months of this year have significantly gone down the past several weeks due to increased police mobile and foot patrols in barangays. Police visibility coupled with community participation and cooperation, he added, helped in thwarting lawless elements.

But despite this, local folks and visitors should still take precautions when riding taxis as there have been instances (which haven’t been recorded) as relayed by credible sources of holdups reportedly committed by taxi drivers themselves and their cohorts. One modus operandi of these criminal drivers is reportedly to have an accomplice hide in the cargo compartment and when the taxi is in a secluded place, they stage the holdup.

Often, is better to take the jeep as there are other people inside the vehicle and criminals would think twice before doing their dastardly acts. Taxi drivers have also been the subject of complaints for being arrogant in not following traffic rules and for being mean to riders.

It is high time law enforcers become stricter with these public utility vehicle drivers who violate traffic rules. At night starting around 9 along Session Road for example, the stretch from the Assumption entrance to the foot of the main thoroughfare becomes a veritable nightmare for those who would like to park as taxi drivers form a long line with their vehicles and block the road.
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There still are carnapping incidents in Baguio and it is always best to be on guard and install safety devises on your vehicle if you don’t want it chopped up in a Pampanga warehouse. Latest incident was morning of Oct. 27 when police received a complaint that a maroon Tamaraw FX Wagon with plate number TSR 311 parked near the victim’s residence at Purok 5, Hillside was missing about 5:30 a.m.

Investigation disclosed the owner parked the vehicle at the place around 6 p.m. on Oct 26. The next morning, the victim woke up to find it missing so he reported the matter to Station 4. A flash alarm for all units was aired to look for the vehicle.

At about 9:30 a.m. of Oct. 28, city police headed by Insp. Joseph Ramos were preparing a follow-up operation on the incident when they received a telephone call from an informant that a maroon Toyota Tamaraw FX with no plate numbers was spotted at km 24, Atok, Benguet night of Oct. 27 at the vicinity of the house of one Peter Chilem y Makkanoy, 43, married, a contractor who hails from Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province. The following morning at about 8 a.m.

Chilem was reportedly seen driving the vehicle and bringing it inside their enclosed compound.
Immediately, Marcos with his team composed of SPO4 Bromeo Lumiib, SPO1 Robert Sagmayao and PO3s Reynaldo Badua and Pedro Mendoza Jr., met the informant and went to the location. At Chilem’s residence, police identified themselves and told him their intention regarding the vehicle. He was read his Constitutional rights in Ilocano, police said.

Chilem said the vehicle was brought to him by five males whom he knew only by their first names as Junjun, Jordan, Allan, Amboy and Ben, all from Bauko, Mountain Province. Junjun reportedly told him the vehicle was owned by his uncle. Chilem surrendered the vehicle to the operatives.

Marcos instructed Insp. Tan of Police Station 4 to contact the complainant and go to the said location to identify the vehicle which he confirmed later with documents. The complainant claimed some items of undetermined value were missing. Chilem said Junjun told him they would get the vehicle night of Oct. 28. He asked the operatives to stay as he would send a text message to Junjun to come and get the vehicle so they could be arrested. However, after several hours of waiting, Chilem received a text message from Junjun saying they will not come anymore.

Chilem volunteered to go with the operatives at the SOTG office and later subjected to medical checkup at the Baguio General Hospital. He was turned over to Station 4 with the complainant and the stolen vehicle. Chilem was ordered detained by city prosecutor Alfredo Centeno.

The city police is now trying to identify and arrest other members of this carnap gang. Next time you buy a secondhand vehicle, better check its ownership. You could be headed to jail if it is found out you bought a stolen car.